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dotin

A Unix dotfiles manager inspired by, and compatible with stow.

dotin organizes your config files in the ~/dotfiles folder. It is great if you want to:

  1. Backup and version your configs (with git).
  2. Easily re-apply them in another machine (with dotin link).
  3. Maintain changes in sync between machines (with git).
  4. Use a simple tool.

Table Of Contents

  • Usage (with example)
    • Setup
    • Sync with GitHub
    • Reapplying changes in a new machine
  • Differences from stow
  • Known limitations
  • Alternatives

Usage (with example)

Say you configured a tool, like polybar, and files are laid like this:

~
├── .scripts/
│   ├── volumescript.sh
│   └── kb-layout.sh
└── .config/
    └── polybar/
        ├── config.ini
        └── launch.sh

After hours of configuring, I bet you don't want to lose those files.

Setup

Create the group polybar at ~/dotfiles/polybar, and structure it similarly:

~/dotfiles/
└── polybar/
    ├── .scripts/
    │   ├── volumescript.sh
    │   └── kb-layout.sh
    └── .config/
        └── polybar/
            ├── config.ini
            └── launch.sh

You can move files manually, or just use dotin import:

dotin import polybar .config/polybar
# OR
dotin import polybar .config/polybar/*

Now your configs are missing, use dotin link to link them back to their original location:

dotin link polybar

Done! Your configs are in place and can be edited using the same path as before, but now, they can be saved in a repository.

Sync with GitHub

The usual GitHub repository setup:

cd ~/dotfiles
# In GitHub, create a repository with no README, and follow their instructions or run these:
git init
git commit -a -m "dotfiles repository setup"
git remote add origin <REPOSITORY_URL>
git push -u origin HEAD

Reapplying changes in a new machine

git clone URL
cd dotfiles
dotin link polybar

Done, files are linked to the correct locations (conflicts are reported, if any).

If installing dotin is too hard, use stow for linking the instead!

sudo apt install stow
cd ~/dotfiles
stow polybar

Differences from stow

dotin uses the same tree structure as stow, you can use both in the same repository.

Here is how dotin differs from stow:

  • The import subcommand.
  • Better checks and error messages.
  • Can be run from any directory.
    • Expects "$HOME/dotfiles".
  • Creates directories (like mkdir) when possible, while stow prefers to link.
    • In my experience, this avoids accidents.

Limitations

  • dotin can link files and directories, but other file types aren't supported yet.
  • Can't change dotfiles folder path.

Non-goals

  • Wrap git usage.
  • Templating.
  • Encryption.
  • Secrets management.

Alternatives

  • stow.
    • Recommended, but overall a worse experience, and easier to mess up.
  • Create a script to link and copy everything.
    • Wastes your time, remember to cover corner cases if you don't want to mess up.
  • Make your $HOME directory a repository and .gitignore everything.
    • Annoying to edit .gitignore for each file.
    • If you use git on a daily, especially with shell integration, it can be quite annoying, every folder you enter will be considered part of the repository.
    • If these don't bother you, read this.
  • Use dotbot instead.
  • Use mackup instead.
  • Use chezmoi instead.
  • Use some other tool.
  • Use some git-wrapping tool.